Dakar (DSS) · EC 261 Regulation
Europe ↔ Dakar flight delayed or cancelled? Up to €600 per passenger
If your flight between Europe and Dakar arrived with 3 hours of delay or more, was cancelled, or you were denied boarding, EU Regulation 261/2004 may entitle you to fixed compensation of up to €600 per passenger, depending on the airline, the direction of travel and the exact cause of the problem. This amount is due in addition to any ticket refund, and it does not depend on the price you paid. Send us your flight number: the check is free and takes less than a minute.
Page checked on 9 August 2026.
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In brief
| Your situation | Main right |
|---|
| Flight departing the EU (Paris, Brussels, Madrid...) to Dakar, delay ≥ 3h | Up to €600, unless extraordinary circumstances |
| Return Dakar → Europe on a non-EU carrier (Air Sénégal, RAM, Turkish, Ethiopian) | Not covered by EC 261 |
| Return Dakar → Europe on an EU carrier (Air France, Brussels, Iberia, TAP, ITA, Vueling) | Covered both ways |
| Cancellation notified less than 14 days before | Compensation possible + refund or rerouting |
| Connection via Casablanca, Istanbul or Addis Ababa, single ticket departing the EU | Claimable even if the delay comes from the 2nd flight |
Are you entitled to compensation? The 3 conditions
Yes, you may be entitled to up to €600 if your flight to or from Dakar meets these 3 conditions, provided no extraordinary circumstance applies.
1
The route
Departure from an EU airport, whatever the airline. Or arrival in the EU with an EU carrier.
2
The problem
Delay of 3 hours or more at arrival, cancellation notified less than 14 days before, denied boarding, or a missed connection on a single ticket.
3
The cause
The delay must be attributable to the airline. A routine technical fault or an aircraft arriving late from its previous flight still entitle you to compensation. A genuinely extraordinary circumstance does not.
What passengers overlook most often: what counts is the delay recorded on arrival, not at departure. A flight that left 2h30 late but arrived 3h10 late still qualifies for compensation.
Find your airline: coverage and amount
Find your airline's row and your direction of travel. The amount depends on the actual distance flown, not the ticket price.
| Airline | Route and flights | Compensation | EC 261 coverage |
|---|
| Air France Eligible | Paris (CDG) ↔ Dakar (DSS): AF718 / AF719 | €600
4,208 km | ✔ both directions |
| Brussels Airlines Eligible | Brussels (BRU) ↔ Dakar (DSS): SN201 / SN202 | €600
~4,400 km | ✔ both directions |
| TAP Portugal Eligible | Lisbon (LIS) ↔ Dakar (DSS): TP1483 / TP1484 | €600
~3,700 km | ✔ both directions |
| ITA Airways Eligible | Rome (FCO) ↔ Dakar (DSS): AZ854 / AZ855 | €600
~4,000 km | ✔ both directions |
| Neos Eligible | Milan (MXP) ↔ Dakar (DSS): NO2420 / NO2421 | €600
~3,900 km | ✔ both directions, 1 flight per week |
| Luxair Eligible | Luxembourg (LUX) ↔ Dakar (DSS): LG405 / LG406 | €600
~4,400 km | ✔ both directions, ~2 flights per week, Oct.-April |
| Transavia France Eligible | Nantes (NTE) ↔ Dakar (DSS): TO8020 / TO8021 | €600
4,004 km | ✔ both directions, also from Lyon, Marseille, Bordeaux, Toulouse, Lille, Nice |
| Iberia Eligible | Madrid (MAD) ↔ Dakar (DSS): IB919 / IB920 | €400
3,148 km | ✔ both directions, lower tier |
| Iberia Eligible | Madrid (MAD) ↔ Dakar (DSS): IB921 / IB922 | €400
3,148 km | ✔ both directions, 2nd rotation |
| Iberia Eligible | Madrid (MAD) ↔ Dakar (DSS): IB3328 / IB3329 | €400
3,148 km | ✔ both directions, 3rd rotation |
| Vueling Eligible | Barcelona (BCN) ↔ Dakar (DSS): VY7886 / VY7887 | €400
3,489 km | ✔ both directions, lower tier |
| Air Sénégal Eligible | Paris (CDG) → Dakar (DSS): HC404 | €600
4,208 km | ✔ departing Paris |
| Air Sénégal Not eligible | Dakar (DSS) → Paris (CDG): HC403 | none | ✘ return not covered |
| Royal Air Maroc Eligible | Europe → Casablanca (CMN) → Dakar (DSS): AT501 | €600* | ✔ departing any EU airport, single ticket |
| Royal Air Maroc Not eligible | Dakar (DSS) → Casablanca (CMN) → Europe: AT500 | none | ✘ return not covered |
| Turkish Airlines Eligible | Europe → Istanbul (IST) → Dakar (DSS): TK501 | €600* | ✔ departing any EU airport, single ticket |
| Turkish Airlines Not eligible | Dakar (DSS) → Istanbul (IST) → Europe: TK502 | none | ✘ return not covered |
| Ethiopian Airlines Eligible | Europe → Addis Ababa (ADD) → Dakar (DSS): ET909 | €600* | ✔ departing any EU airport, single ticket |
| Ethiopian Airlines Not eligible | Dakar (DSS) → Addis Ababa (ADD) → Europe: ET908 | none | ✘ return not covered |
This list of airlines and flights is not exhaustive and flight numbers can be changed by airlines at any time, including off-season: always check your own flight number. The amount follows the distance flown (€250 under 1,500 km, €400 between 1,500 and 3,500 km, €600 beyond). *On a single ticket with a connection, compensation is calculated as the great-circle distance between the original departure airport and the final arrival, never leg by leg or on the layover (CJEU, Bossen ruling, 7 September 2017, C-559/16). €600 applies departing Paris, Brussels, Lisbon, Rome or Milan; departing Madrid or Barcelona, since the direct distance is under 3,500 km, the applicable tier is €400.
What decides everything is the flag and the direction: an EU carrier (Air France, Brussels Airlines, Iberia, TAP, ITA Airways, Vueling, Neos, Transavia, Luxair) is covered both ways. A non-EU carrier (Air Sénégal, Royal Air Maroc, Turkish Airlines, Ethiopian Airlines) is only covered departing the European Union. That is why a Paris to Dakar flight on Air Sénégal is compensable, while the Dakar to Paris return on the same airline is not.
In short:
- A flight departing the European Union to Dakar can be covered, even if the airline is not European.
- A flight departing Dakar to Europe is generally only covered if the operating airline is European.
- Air Sénégal is therefore covered on Paris → Dakar, but not on Dakar → Paris for the EC 261 fixed compensation.
- Even when EC 261 does not apply, a refund, rerouting, or a claim for actual expenses incurred can sometimes still be worth pursuing.
The airline that sells the ticket is not always the one operating the flight (codeshare): it is the
actual operating carrier that matters for EC 261, not the one printed on your ticket.
In the event of industrial action at Dakar airport (AIBD) affecting your flight, your rights remain the same: a strike by air traffic controllers or another party outside the airline does not automatically exempt it, the exact cause must be verified case by case.
Travelling as a family? The amount multiplies
Compensation is due per passenger, not per booking. On a Paris to Dakar flight delayed more than 3 hours, a family of four represents €2,400, and a family of six €3,600. The price paid for each ticket does not factor into the calculation: a promotional fare is entitled to the same fixed amount as a full-fare ticket.
An infant on a parent's lap may also be covered. It depends on the exact ticket conditions and how the infant was booked: the deciding factor is not age but whether a ticket was issued and a fare was paid, even just taxes. It's a point many families forget to check: send us the ticket, we'll look at the precise conditions.
How it works
1
You send us your flight numberOn WhatsApp or online. We check EC 261 coverage, the distance and the amount. It's free and without obligation.
2
You sign online, in two minutesIf the case holds up, you assign the claim to us via an electronic deed. From the assignment onward, we hold the claim and act in our own name as assignee, at our own cost and risk.
3
We recover the moneyFormal notice to the airline, follow-ups, and if necessary the commercial court with our partner lawyer. You have nothing to do and nothing to advance.
4
You receive your moneyAs soon as the airline pays, the amount is sent to your bank account.
You advance nothing, and you risk nothing
Once the claim is assigned, the case becomes ours. We write to the airline, follow up, and take the matter to court if it refuses to pay. Lawyer, bailiff and procedural fees are advanced and covered by Robin des Airs, even if the case is lost.
No payment is ever requested upfront. If nothing is recovered, you pay nothing and owe us nothing. You have no steps to take, no letters to write, and no financial risk to carry.
Our share is stated clearly from the start: 25% of the amount recovered on an amicable settlement, 40% if a court case is needed. The remainder, 75% or 60%, is yours. Nothing is deducted if no amount is recovered.
Full terms are detailed on the
pricing page and in the terms and conditions, before any signature.
Three ways to claim for a delayed or cancelled Dakar flight
| Route | Advantages | Constraints |
|---|
| Alone, directly with the airline | Free, you keep 100% of the amount | You have to manage the correspondence and, if refused, work out whether the airline's stated reason genuinely justifies denying compensation |
| Mediator or oversight authority | Free, formal process | Only available in certain cases (not available for Air Sénégal on this route) and often a slow process |
| Full service (Robin des Airs) | €0 upfront · 25% amicable · 40% if litigation · nothing to pay if nothing is recovered | A share of the compensation goes to Robin des Airs in return for taking on the claim, handling it, and carrying the financial risk |
A refusal from the airline does not necessarily mean you're not entitled to anything. The airline can cite weather or another extraordinary circumstance to refuse compensation. But that reason has to be examined against the actual circumstances of the flight. When a case is refused, we can look into the available evidence, including weather and air traffic conditions, and challenge the stated reason where justified.
Why go through Robin des Airs on this route
✔ We know the Europe-Africa corridor, its airlines, its connections via Casablanca, Istanbul or Addis Ababa, and the standard excuses they give passengers.
✔ WhatsApp or online form, your choice, in whichever language suits you, no endless process and no account to create.
✔ We go all the way to court when the airline refuses to pay, through our partner lawyer, with costs advanced by us.
✔ A refusal from the airline doesn't stop us. Many refusals rest on grounds that don't hold up under European case law.
✔ We also take on old cases, up to five years back, and large families.
Frequently asked questions
How much can I recover for a delayed Europe to Dakar flight?
Up to €600 per passenger. From Paris, Brussels, Lisbon, Rome or Milan, the distance is over 3,500 km, the tier is €600. From Madrid (3,148 km) and Barcelona (3,489 km), the distance is under 3,500 km, the tier is €400. The amount is fixed and per passenger, regardless of the ticket price paid.
The airline already refused to compensate me, is that the end of it?
No. A refusal does not extinguish the claim. Many refusals cite extraordinary circumstances that do not qualify as such under Court of Justice of the European Union case law: a routine technical fault, a knock-on delay from the aircraft's previous rotation, or an internal strike at the airline are generally not enough to exempt it. An already-refused case can still be reviewed.
Is the Dakar to Paris return flight with Air Sénégal covered?
No. Air Sénégal is a non-EU carrier: EC 261 only applies to it for flights departing the European Union. The Paris to Dakar leg is covered, the return is not. With Air France, Brussels Airlines, Iberia, TAP or ITA Airways, all EU carriers, both directions are covered.
Can an infant travelling on a parent's lap be compensated?
It depends on the exact ticket conditions and how the infant was booked. The deciding factor is not age but whether a ticket was issued and a fare was paid, even just taxes. If a ticket was issued, the claim may be eligible: we check the precise conditions before determining whether compensation is due and for what amount.
How far back can I claim for an old flight?
In France, the claim is time-barred after five years from the day the rights holder knew, or should have known, the facts allowing them to act (Article 2224 of the Civil Code). A 2022 flight therefore remains claimable until 2027. The exact starting point and any events that may have interrupted the limitation period are checked case by case.
I no longer have my boarding pass, is that a problem?
No. The boarding pass makes the case easier to build but is not essential. The booking reference, case number, email confirmation, bank statement or e-ticket are usually enough to establish you were on the flight.
Do a strike or bad weather cancel my rights?
Not automatically. An internal strike by the airline's own staff is generally considered inherent to its operations and does not exempt it from compensation, unlike an air traffic controllers' strike. Similarly, genuinely extreme weather exempts the airline, but a general weather excuse is not enough. The exact cause of the delay must be verified.
Dakar's airport changed, does that cause a problem?
No. Blaise Diagne International Airport (AIBD) in Diass replaced the former Léopold Sédar Senghor airport in 2017. The DSS code applies in both cases and EC 261 coverage is identical.
Do I have anything to pay or advance?
No. Checking your flight is free and without obligation. No payment is requested upfront, and if nothing is recovered from the airline, nothing is charged. Any procedural costs, including lawyer and bailiff fees, are advanced and covered by Robin des Airs. Full terms are shown to you before any signature.
Why do you need me to sign an assignment of claim?
So that we can take over the claim, you assign it to us electronically. From the assignment onward, we hold the claim and act in our own name as assignee, at our own cost and risk. You then have no further steps to take with the airline.
Was your flight to Dakar delayed or cancelled?
Just send us your flight number. We'll tell you in under a minute whether the case holds up, and how much it's worth for you and anyone travelling with you.
Free check · €0 upfront · nothing to pay if we get nothing
Sources and references
CJEU, Folkerts ruling (C-11/11, 2013): the delay is assessed at the final destination on a single booking
CJEU, Bossen ruling (C-559/16, 2017): distance is calculated as the great-circle distance between the original departure airport and the final arrival
Article 2224 of the French Civil Code: 5-year limitation period before French courts